Article

Neurorehabilitation studies suggest that manipulation of error
signals during practice can stimulate improvement in coordination after stroke.
OBJECTIVE: To test visual display and robotic technology that delivers augmented
error signals during training,
in participants with stroke.
METHODS: A total of
26 participants with chronic hemiparesis were trained with haptic (via
robot-rendered forces) and graphic (via a virtual environment) distortions to
amplify upper-extremity (UE) tracking error. In a randomized crossover design,
the intervention was compared with an equivalent amount of practice without error
augmentation (EA). Interventions involved three 45-minute sessions per week for 2
weeks, then 1 week of no treatment, and then 2 additional weeks of the alternate
treatment. A therapist provided a visual cursor using a tracking device, and
participants were instructed to match it with their hand. Haptic and visual EA
was used with blinding of participant, therapist, technician-operator, and
evaluator. Clinical measures of impairment were obtained at the beginning and end
of each 2-week treatment phase as well as at 1 week and at 45 days after the last
treatment. RESULTS: Outcomes showed a small, but significant benefit to EA
training over simple repetitive practice, with a mean 2-week improvement in
Fugl-Meyer UE motor score of 2.08 and Wolf Motor Function Test of timed tasks of 1.48 s. CONCLUSIONS: This interactive technology may improve UE motor recovery of
stroke-related hemiparesis.

Langue : ANGLAIS